A Mission To Sazori
by Katiehartx9
Summary: Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi have a mission to escort Eri back to his hometown. When they arrived the four thought it was all over till another surprise happens to be just around the corner.
1. Those Eyes

**This setting plays out before The Forest Of Death...**

Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi were standing in front of the third Hokage's desk, with Iruka sitting next to him. They both were talking to them about the mission that they would be taking. To head to a town called Sazori. A small village 500 miles away from the Hidden Leaf Village.

Naruto was in a bit of a bad mood, but he bottled it up, as he showed everyone his smile, "Well what mission are we getting today?" he wondered, feeling a bit excited.

3rd Hokage looks over at him, "Well you would be taking Mr. Eri back to Sazori," he pointed at a guy standing in the corner from them, "your duty is to make sure he gets back to the village in one piece," he explains, "from thieves and robbers."

They all looked over at a 50-year-old man or so they have guessed around that age, "Hello there," he smiles, "thank you for bringing me back to the village," he bows at them.

Naruto was walking in the front of everyone and Sasuke was walking right next to him. He looked over at his teammate, knowing that this raven-haired boy shared a pain of not having parents. No family to be there for him. And even his own brother disappeared. He doesn't seem to have been murdered though, 'Wonder what happened to his brother?' he remembered him while back when Sasuke was on his shoulder when he was nine from spraining his ankle. Naruto looks back over at the ground. Knowing full well what it was like being alone. Kakashi, Sakura, and the old man Eri that they were escorting were walking in the back of them.

Naruto understands that he has been a jerk to Sasuke, but it is only because Sasuke has been a jerk right back. He inwardly sighs. He and Sasuke have known each other for a long time, longer then people have known such as Kakashi and Sakura. Back then they were not much, but Sasuke was the first person who noticed him as a human being, who did not ignore him. But after that day when the blonde heard rumors about the disappearance of the Uchiha Clan and Sasuke being the only one left he wanted more than anything to be by his side.

Naruto heard a rustle in the trees, he quickly took out one of his kunai, "Who is up there?" he shouts, "show yourself damn it!" he shouts. The other four stood still, surprised by blonde's shouting. They heard a thud and a man laid sprawled on the ground. He and Sasuke ran over to him, "Hey what do you want?" Naruto wondered.

"Seems as if he was spying on us," Sasuke guessed, he looked over at the knife that was clutched in his hand.

The man groans standing up, "Give me all your belongings!" he shouts, "or you will meet your doom," he sneers, hoping to scare them off and drop their items to keep from being hurt.

"Do you know whom you are messing with?" Naruto shouts, "we are ninjas from the hidden leaf village!" he points to both him and Sasuke. Sasuke was surprised a bit by that but did not show it. Usually, the blonde only refers to himself as the great ninja of their village.

"Seems as if he was spying on us," Sasuke guessed, he looked over at the knife that was clutched in his hand.

The man groans standing up, "Give me all your belongings!" he shouts, "or you will meet your doom," he sneers, hoping to scare them off and drop their items to keep from being hurt.

"Do you know whom you are messing with?" Naruto shouts, "we are ninjas from the hidden leaf village!" he points to both him and Sasuke. Sasuke was surprised a bit by that but did not show it. Usually, the blonde only refers to himself as the great ninja of their village.

"Well then I guess that old man over there will be an easy prey," he smirked over at Eri, "give me all your belongings and I will spare your life."

The old man shrank back a bit. Kakashi reassured him that if they are there to protect him, they will not let anything happen.

"Sasuke?" he looked over at him, the raven-haired ninja looks over at him, "let's handle this guy! Shadow clone jutsu!"

He nodded in agreement. Sasuke jumped in the air while Naruto stayed on the ground. One shadow clone grabbed the guy. The robber became shocked at Naruto's eyes, they were turning into a beast.

"What are you?" he wondered. Naruto looked at the man. Those eyes. Those blasted eyes. The same stares that he went through as a child. Like he was some sort of freak. It was not his choice to have the nine tails inside his body. And last night he had a dream about his past. When he was alone. When people hated him, and he hated them. Naruto looks over the guy with his hate-filled eyes. The real Naruto moved closer to the man, "stay away!" he barked. Naruto grabbed his shirt. He felt the man tremble, "please let me go," he begged, "I will leave you guys alone just please let me go." Naruto looks over at the man, his eyes visible, fear shown in his eyes.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, "That is enough Naruto I think he learned his lesson," he heard Kakashi's voice say. Naruto realized what he was doing and quickly let go of the robber's shirt. The man fell on the ground. Naruto watches as the man starts running away in fear. He gapped at himself. 'What was he about to do?'

"Hey, Naruto, are you ok?" Sakura wondered, worried for her teammate, "what was that all about? He was just a robber."

Naruto agreed about that. Sasuke walked over to them. 'What was he about to do?' kept going through the blonde's mind. His feelings of hatred could have turned into something worse. He clenched his fists in disgust.

"Hey lad," he heard Eri say, "thank you for saving me," he grins at him. Naruto gapped at him 'Did he not see what just happened? Why is he not freaking out?' "from now on I will have to count on you," he grins even wider. Naruto was shocked at this.

He looks over at Sasuke and then back at Eri, "It was not just me who helped you, he did too," he pointed to his comrade. Sasuke's eyes grew wide, and Sakura's did too. They both would have never thought that there will come a day when Naruto acknowledged his raven-haired comrade, "Oh yes how can I forget," Eri said, going over to Sasuke, "thank you for protecting me as well you both did a wonderful job."

Kakashi looked over at Naruto, wondering what his student was thinking while he grabbed the robber, 'Did something happen?' Sakura looked over at her Sensei, "Did you see that Kakashi Sensei?" he looks over at her, "they did not fight this time," she said relieved.

Kakashi did not notice this till now since he was caught up about Naruto, "Good job you two," he looks over at Sakura, "you too Sakura." Sakura ran over to her teammates and hugged them both, happy that they are getting along a bit better.


	2. Town Sazori

They were able to reach town Sazori, a village in the fire countryside. It took at least five hours to get there. Taking a break twice, one for lunch and one for resting up a bit to regain their strength as Kakashi was watched for any signs of movements.

They reached Sazori in time for dinner. Eri suggested they look for a restaurant and he will be treating them since they brought him here safe and sound. They were grateful for that since they all were hungry. While Eri walked away to look where they can eat Naruto looked over at Kakashi.

"Hey Kakashi Sensei?" he said, Kakashi over at him, "can I talk to you for a second?" Kakashi nodded knowing what he probably wanted to talk about, telling Sasuke and Sakura that they can wait with Eri as he led Naruto to where they can talk alone.

Sasuke looked over at them, wondering what he wanted to talk to the Sensei about.

"Hey, Sasuke-Kun?" Sakura said, putting her arms around him, this annoyed him, since he had no interests in her but kept his cool, "are you hungry too?" Sasuke ignored her, not caring, he disappeared from her sight, "huh Sasuke? Where did you go!" she shouts.

"What do you want to talk about?" Kakashi asked, already knowing what but decided to wait till he was correct.

Naruto gripped his hands tight, "I am sorry for earlier with the robber," he looked down at the ground, "it just his stare, the stare of somebody who thinks of me as a freak, a monster, and well I lost it with him because it reminded me of my childhood. I hated those stares and when I see them now...I..." Naruto gritted his teeth, Kakashi walked over to him, giving him a pat, "am I a good person Kakashi?" he wondered. His teacher was stunted by this question, "the truth is back there I wanted to kill that man," he admitted, "I wanted to rip those eyes out of his skull beforehand too," Naruto looks over at Kakashi, "what is going on with me Kakashi?"

"What do you want to talk about?" Kakashi asked, already knowing what but decided to wait till he was correct.

Naruto gripped his hands tight, "I am sorry for earlier with the robber," he looked down at the ground, "it just his stare, the stare of somebody who thinks of me as a freak, a monster, and well I lost it with him because it reminded me of my childhood. I hated those stares and when I see them now...I..." Naruto gritted his teeth, Kakashi walked over to him, giving him a pat, "am I a good person Kakashi?" he wondered. His teacher was stunted by this question, "the truth is back there I wanted to kill that man," he admitted, "I wanted to rip those eyes out of his skull beforehand too," Naruto looks over at Kakashi, "what is going on with me Kakashi?"

"Well to answer the first question," Kakashi Sensei said, patting his student on the head, "you are a good person Naruto you just had a childhood that even myself could not understand. And it seems that you lost it with that guy because you were thinking about how they used to stare at you in Konoha that was all, and I stopped you before you could do any real damage," he smiled sadly over at him, "I know about your suffering. I know everything about my students because I am your teacher," he said, "therefore it is my duty to know about your situation and what you are dealing with." Naruto nodded looking at the ground, "by the way that was a nice thing you did back there," Kakashi said, deciding it is best to change the topic. Naruto who was confused looked up at his Sensei, "giving Sasuke credit for helping out. What made you decide to say those things to him?" he wondered, letting go of his student.

Naruto looks up at the sky, "Because we are the same that is why," he decided to admit, "he has lost so much more than me though," Kakashi gapped at this, 'How does he know that?' "I know Kakashi," he looks up at his Sensei, "I know that he is alone too and that his clan was wiped out," Naruto gripped his fists, "and all I have been doing is being selfish and wanting to pick fights with him, "it was mostly because I was jealous of him," Kakashi nodded, figuring it was like that, "he was the popular one at school and I was the outcast but then I realized he never asked to be popular," Naruto figured this out for a while now, "it is because of his looks and attitude but they do not know anything about him. Even Sakura," Naruto looks over at his Sensei, that is when he noticed a figured hiding in the shadows behind the tree they were standing by. Naruto had a feeling on who it was since he could make out part of the spiked hair, "listen Kakashi, do you mind if I have some time to collect myself, Eri and the others are probably looking for us anyway."

Kakashi nodded, leaving him be. "I know it is you hiding over there Sasuke," Naruto turned his head to the tree. The shadow moved to the clearing. Sasuke was standing in front of him, "Since when are you an eavesdropper?"

Sasuke shrugged, "You were just admitting the obvious for me, that I never wanted to be popular, not needing you as my rival," Naruto gapped at this, "all I wanted from someone to see for who I am, but no one cared for me in that way. It is different for you, you have friends now."

Naruto walks closer, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You have of us three too Sasuke, and I always and have always been your friend," Sasuke gasped at that, "I was just jealous of you that is all, even if we fight," Naruto turns away from his comrade, gripping his fists, "I purposely fought with you Sasuke, it was a way for me to help you escape your situation," Sasuke watched his teammate's fists clenching tightly, "you are an important person to me, and having to watch one someone that I care about the most suffer and I cannot do anything because I never had those ties," he felt a hand on his shoulder, Naruto turned away from Sasuke's eyes, "you are suffering so much and I cannot do anything but give you some good fights with me," Naruto was trying to hold himself together. Sasuke moves, to be face to face with his blonde comrade, "but you know Sasuke you do not have to fight this alone. You have us," he puts a hand on him, "come on everyone is waiting for us by now."

"Hey Sasuke, where have you been?" Sakura wondered as he and Naruto met up with the others, sitting beside one another. She can care less her blonde teammate at the moment.

Naruto looked over at his female teammate, "He had to find a bathroom Sakura, it was a long trip here after all," Naruto looked down at the bowl in front of him, "yay this is my favorite!" he shouts, "thank you for ordering me a bowl of ramen," Naruto grins at Kakashi, knowing it was him.

"Actually, it was Sakura who ordered it for you," Kakashi grins over at her and back at his blonde student.

Naruto looks over at her with a surprised expression, "Thank you Sakura," she smiled back at him.

He started digging in, Sakura ordered Sasuke something too, "I know you eat these at school," they were Onigirazu. Sasuke nodded, giving a taste, feeling grateful but did not show it.

Naruto heard something from the next table, "Hey you, what are you doing in here?" the owner of the restaurant wondered to someone who appeared to be a customer, a girl around 10 years old she had a white patch around her right eye, "freaks like you should not be here," A couple of customers started laughing. The girl ignored them as she was finishing her meal. The guy grabbed her shirt making her look up at him, "did you hear me?"

Punch! Thud! Everyone turned his or her attention to the owner laying on the ground and a blonde-haired boy with the hidden leaf headband standing in-front of him. The girl looked at the person who came to her defense. Never once has an anyone stood up for her like that. He turns to her, "What is your name?" he wondered. She looked down on the ground. Naruto understood that she might be scared. He knelt, to her eye level, "you do not have to be afraid ok?" he reassured her. He looked over at her eye patch, "who did that to you?"

"You little brat!" the owner walked over and was about to grab him till a black-haired boy with the same headband stopped him by gripping his wrist.

Naruto did not pay attention, right now he was wondering why this girl is treated so poorly, "Are you ok?" he wondered, "it is ok, I am not here to harm you."

"That brat never talks," he said, "she never learned how after all, that is what you get for having someone like her living in this town. She is a freak who does not know her place," Naruto gritted his teeth, but he did not want to hit the man, he did not want to frighten the girl any further then she is, "she has never attended the school and she never had any parents to teach her. She is as dumb as she looks," this made the girl look sad.

"Hey," Naruto said, "do not let that man's words bother you," she looks over at him, "would you like to sit at our table?" he offered. She was surprised at this. Giving a small nod.

The little girl sat between Naruto and Sasuke. Kakashi was reassuring her that they were the good guys. She nodded looking up at Naruto.

"Can you really not speak?" Sakura wondered the little girl looked down at the table. She told them without speaking that she can speak just she never had anyone to talk too.

Naruto looks over at Eri, who sadly looked at her, "Do you know something about this?" he wondered.

Eri nodded, "She never knew her parents. They died a long time ago by a fire."

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were both shocked, even Kakashi. Naruto looked down at her, directing his attention at her patch, "Since our mission is over can I stay here with her?" Naruto asked Kakashi Sensei. She looked shocked at this. Naruto looked over at her knowing what she is thinking, "never mind why I want to help you just let me ok?" she looked down at the table nodding. He noticed her shivering beneath her thin shirt, trying to hide it.

"Well we can rest up here for a couple of days," Kakashi said, "we do not have our next mission till next week anyway."

Naruto looked over at Eri, "She can stay at my place too," he offered. She looked over at the old man, shocked at this, "it is not really my interest in helping her, but I will be ok with her staying there while you're here." Naruto smiled at the Eri and nodding as thanks. He looked back over at the girl.

She suddenly felt warm, she looked over at the orange jacket placed around her, she looked up at the one who saved her. "As long as I am here you can wear my lucky jacket," she was not shivering anymore, she felt warm. She let out a small smile. This shocked Eri, he never saw this child smile before. This made him melt a little.

They entered Eri's house. Naruto and Sasuke were sharing a room together and Sakura offered the little girl to sleep in her room. Sasuke and Naruto were in the room they were sharing while they were putting their things down. Sasuke looked over at his teammate, "Why do you want to help this child?" he wondered, "It is such a waste of time you know."

"Because I know how she is feeling. I was like that as a child too. People would do those exact same things," Naruto looked out the window, "that is why I want to help her." Sasuke pouts at this, Naruto looked over at his teammate's reflection, "will you stop pouting? This only for a couple of days."

"You can still do that here," Naruto looked over at him, "I really want to help this girl Sasuke. I want to teach her that it is ok to be herself and not let anyone stand in the way of that. Just like what I had to deal with most of my childhood. He heard a knock at the door.

Sakura opened their door, the girl standing next to her. Having his jacket around her shoulder. He noticed she was cleaned up a bit, knowing that Sakura did that for her. The girl looked over at Naruto, with her right eye patch still firmly in place, "I tried to take it off of her, but she didn't want me to," Sakura said going over to Sasuke, kneeling beside him.

Naruto nodded, "Thank you for helping her Sakura," he smiled at his teammate.

"It is the least I can do," she said, "to make her look more like a lady."

Naruto nodded, agreeing, he sat on his own mattress, telling the girl to come over here, "Can I move the patch of yours?" she was frightened by that, "it is ok? Listen to me when I say that it will be ok as long as you are with me and Sakura," he smiled over at her, she went over to him, he looked over at his jacket around her thin body. He took it off her. She was disappointed at the sudden chill, but Naruto quickly covered her again. This time zipping his jacket up, "this is so you do not catch a cold," she smiled over at her warmly, "please understand we are here to help you," he gave her a pat on the head, "I see Sakura helped you wash your hair." She nodded. He went over to her right eye, placing his hand on her face, "will it be ok to move your patch?" she looked at the ground, deciding to put her trust in this blonde, nodding. He moved her patch. They all were surprised to see a black eye staring back at them, "who did this to you?" Naruto wondered, she looked down at the ground, "was it someone in this village?" she nodded, tears starting to cloud her eyes. Sakura went over to her, putting her arms around her.

"Can you least try to speak to us?" he wondered, "we want to hear what you have to say?" she wipes her eyes while Sakura held her on her lap.

"They hate me, everyone in this village hates me...I do not know why though?" she started crying, "I just want to be loved," she said heartbroken, "no one here wants to know who I am, I was allowed to attend school but even there the other classmates would make fun of me..."

she could not keep from crying as she broke down completely in Sakura's arms. Naruto looked at her, knowing the pain, "why do you want to help me?" she wondered, "I am nothing special."

"Do not say that about yourself," Naruto grits his teeth, "I am wanting to help you because I know what it feels like." She was shocked at this, as she kept her face hidden in Sakura's chest. Sasuke was surprised to see his comrade admitting his past, "I was the same you know. I had nobody to care for me and nobody cared that I existed some even said they wished I would disappear," he looked over at her, "I know the pain and suffering more than anyone in this room," the girl looked over at him, "I too had no parents, no family," Naruto went over to them, kneeling beside the girl, "but I chose to not let them get to me and I did crazy things to get people's attention. To have someone at least look at me. The first person who took the time to know who I am was my teacher. The one person that had hated me the most. And yet he saved me that night," Naruto recalled that day, "the truth is if he did not stop me and told the person who was hunting me," he clenched his fists, "I would have done even worst things," the girl looked over at him, wiping her eyes, "do not let them get to you. You must be strong and fight back."

"How? They will just hurt me in the end when I do."

Naruto nodded, understanding that, reaching a hand out to her, she took it, standing up, he put her hand on her face, she flinched but realized as he was touching her eyes, he was wiping her tears, "Do you not show them your tears. If they hit you or even beat you to not give in," he went over to his backpack, taking out something. She walked to his side, "here," she looked over at a pair of green goggles handed to her, "this is what I wore most of my childhood life," she looked stunt at what he is giving her, "why don't you hold on it for me for a while," she smiled at him as she tied it around her head, "now let's show those clowns of this town how special you are. I will teach you how," he grins at her, "just leave it to me. Naruto...oh that is right what do we call you?" She shrugs, "what did your parents' call you?"

"I was only a baby so I do not remember, and no one will tell me," she got something out of her pocket, it was a photograph, "this is all I have left of them." Sasuke sat next to Naruto, looking at the photo. Naruto and Sakura look at it too.

"Well then, what would you like to be named?" Naruto asked, "you can be whatever you want it to be?" she thought about it, "you know, you remind me a bit of a girl in my village named Hinata," she looks over at him, he smiled, "I used to protect her a lot and I was the one who helped her overcome her difficulties. She saw me in my dark times and watched me from afar," he looked over at her, putting his hands on her face, "you remind me of her you know," he smiled, the girl gave him a shy expression, giving out a blush. He realized what he was doing and let's go, "so what would you like to be called?" he wondered, "it can be anything?"

She thought about it, finding the perfect name for her, "I like the name Hinata," she said giving out a small smile, showing her teeth for the first time, "I will go with that name."

Naruto looked down at the ground, "Hinata huh?" he put his hands behind his head, "well then Hinata it is," he grinned at her with smiling eyes, "your name from now on will be Hinata!" he said, she laughed at this, glad that he cared so much for her. He looked over at her. She yawned, "Getting sleepy huh?" she nodded, rubbing eyes. Naruto took her right hand, this stunt her, "do not rub the right one," he said, he let's go, "now off to bed. You and I have a long day tomorrow," she looked over at him, wondering what he had in store for her, "instead of me training while being here, I will take you under my wing. You do not need the restaurants to eat after I am done with you. First, of I will teach how to catch your own meals," he grins at her, "now off to bed."

She nodded with a smile, running out of the room and closing the door behind her. Sakura went over to Naruto, and gave him a pat on the shoulder, "That was nice of you for giving her your green goggles." Naruto nodded at her with a smile, "I want to help you," she said. Naruto looked at her with a shock, she smiled, "do not give me that we are teammates after all. We should do this together," she looked over at Sasuke, "what about you Sasuke-kun?"

He sighs, "I will be nearby while I do my training. Also," he looked over at Naruto, "it will be amusing to see this thunderhead being a teacher."

Naruto snapped, grabbing his teammate's shirt, "Who are you calling thunderhead you jerk?"

Sakura sighs 'Here they go again.' She decided to bid them goodnight and leave the room.

In the dark, both thinking their own thoughts. Both in their own beds. The clock ticking in the room. Naruto was staring at the ceiling in the dark. Thinking about his past and how far he has come. Wondering what his life would be like if things stayed the way it was in his childhood.

"Hey?" Naruto heard in the dark.

"What is it Sasuke?" The startled blonde wondered, not expecting his comrade to talk to him out of the blue.

"Just having you on team seven eases the burden," Sasuke admitted, facing the wall, "night."

Naruto was shocked at this, feeling touched, and happy to be of some use to his comrade somehow, "Goodnight."


	3. Go Fish

The next day Eri, Kakashi, Sakura, and Hinata were at the breakfast table when Naruto and Sasuke came in. Hinata ran over to Naruto, giggling.

The next day Eri, Kakashi, Sakura, and Hinata were at the breakfast table when Naruto and Sasuke came in. Hinata ran over to Naruto, giggling. Naruto held his arms out for her, "Did you eat already?" He wondered, noticing that a band-aid was placed on her eye. It looked a bit better than having a patch on. Hinata nodded, patting her full stomach. Naruto sat next to Sakura on one side while Sasuke sat on the other side of her so they would be able to face each other while eating. Sasuke had an awful dream last night, dreaming of his past. He gritted his teeth while eating, "Is something wrong Sasuke-Kun?" Sakura wondered.

Sasuke pulled himself together, "It is nothing just a bit of a headache."

"Would you like some medicine for it?" Eri wondered. Sasuke shook his head. Naruto knew Sasuke was lying. When his teammate woke up this morning, he was already in a bad mood well rather a sad one, 'Did he have, another one of those nights?'

Naruto looked over at him. Maybe he should try to cheer his comrade a little. He looked over at Hinata, "Do you want to see my new amazing jutsu?" Hinata nodded, "Transform!" he turned into a dog, "bark, bark."

Sakura looked over at him, he did a perfect job of transforming into a tan lab as she went over to Naruto, wanting to pet him, "You should show Kiba this." He went over to Sasuke barking. The job worked a bit a Sasuke looked over with a small smile. He had a feeling that his blonde teammate was doing this for him. Naruto undid the jutsu as he grins at his teammate.

Kakashi was keeping Eri company in his house while Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke were gathered with Hinata in the woods. Sakura watched both Sasuke doing some training and Naruto teaching. He was showing Hinata how to wrap a wire around a stick. And then how to catch a worm from the ground, tying the wire around it, "You see this is how to make your own fishing rod," he grins, showing it to Hinata, "pretty cool huh? Now it is your turn. First, find a good solid stick that will not break by the current." She put her hands inside the orange jacket pocket while running around to find one. Sakura was a bit surprised in Naruto's teaching. Or even knowing how to teach someone else. She smiled at that, 'He surprises me and more that little rascal.' She peered over at Sasuke who seemed to be fixated on the tree he was aiming at with his kunai knives. She watched as he had the ninja weapons make the tree his target perfectly, 'He is so cute when he is like that,' she breathed in a sigh.

Naruto noticed Sakura watching his comrade, 'What is so special about him?' he looked over at Sasuke who did not seem to notice of them starring at him or least it seemed that he didn't. He was too focused on the target. Pretending that the tree was the person he wanted to destroy most in this world. Someone who made his world twist upside down. The person he had admired the most. Sasuke gritted his teeth as his hate symbolized the fire sign. Sending flames in the air. There was a loud scream. Sasuke stopped.

Naruto heard Hinata cry out in panic, he went over to her. So, did Sakura. Hinata has sprawled on the ground a few feet away from where Sasuke was, "What happened Hinata?"

She looked over at Sasuke, "I got frightened by the flames," she sparked back, hovering in horror. Naruto remembered that her parents died in a fire when she was a baby, 'Does she still remember?' "it is ok you see he was doing that for training purposes," he looked over at his teammate, "did you have to practice that here?"

Sasuke shrugged, "Whatever," he retorted back, not caring "I am heading deeper in the woods to resume my training," he disappeared.

Sakura looked over at her teammate's disappearance. Something was bugging Sasuke she knew that.

"Hey, Naruto?" Sakura whispered, he had Hinata in his arms to give her some comfort, once again telling her they were not there to hurt her, "did something happened between you and Sasuke?" she wondered, thinking that was the reason, "you better have not done anything to him," she threatened.

Naruto inwardly sighed. Giving her a solid no that he is innocent this time. Hinata stood up and recollected herself, resuming her search for a good stick. While she was distracted with that and telling Sakura to watch her while he goes to search for the third team member.

Sasuke was practicing a few feet away. He noticed the flames surrounding the trees. "Hey, jerk!" Naruto shouts, standing a few feet away from his dark-haired comrade, "what is your problem!" Sasuke ignores him, staying focused at how big he can make the flames, "listen I think you need to save your energy for later!"

Sasuke stops, his flames becoming less, "Listen this girl is your problem, not mine. You chose to help her."

"Stop with the sulking already will you!" the blonde shouts back, "I need your help ok? Not with the girl I will take care of her but there is something else that has been bugging me and I think Sakura should be informed too," his comrade sighs telling him to hurry up so he can resume his training, "what happened to her parents. I do not think it was an accident."

Sasuke looked at him in surprise, " Do you have any indication of your theory?"

Naruto looked down at his feet thinking about last night when he first rescued the girl, "When Eri told us about how her parents died he had a glint his in eyes. Like he was trying to hide something," he looked over his teammate, "did you notice anything out of the ordinary?" Sasuke thought about their dinner, he shook his head, "here resume your training while I go ask Sakura the same thing and Kakashi."

Sasuke thought about getting back to training but after those words that his blonde comrade said that he had a theory on what really happened he could not just ignore that, "Hang on," he spoke in a cool voice, putting his hands on his hips, "let's just do what we can and go home. Besides if we work together on this it will be a quicker process."

On the way back over to Sakura and Hinata, Sasuke decided to think of why they hated her in the village so much for one thing and if Naruto is correct about what he told him that he will not forgive the once responsible for the fire. He thought about his own family and how they were murdered, 'Could they have had a traitor in their mist as well?' hopefully was not the case. Still, he too had a feeling that something was not right in this village.

They met up with Sakura and as Hinata was busy learning how to tie a wire around a stick she found and learning how to dig worms as bait Naruto told Sakura his theory as Sasuke listened, "So, you are saying that her parents were-" Sakura saddened at that thought.

"Sakura-Chan did you notice anything weird about Eri while telling us about the fire? Such as a glint in his eyes?"

Sakura thought about this, she was sat next to him after all. She realized something, "Now that you mentioned it, he did have a glint in one of his eyes from where I was sitting."

Naruto nodded, "So it was not just me then. I am telling you there is something fishy going on," he looked over at Hinata who was still digging for worms, "we need to talk to Kakashi first and see if he noticed anything off by Eri?"

"Since when do you get to decide for us Naruto?" Sakura said in a bossy tone, "I think it should be Sasuke to make the decisions here," she said in a huff, "right Sasuke?" she put her hands together, giving him buggy eyes.

Sasuke ignored her stares, "Actually this time around let's have Naruto be in charge," both Naruto and Sakura were shocked at this, "after all it was his eyes that noticed something off not mine, I will admit."

'Sasuke...' Naruto was blown away by this. Never in his life had Sasuke thought of him being useful till at this point and that made the blonde ninja speechless. Sakura looked over at Naruto, 'Well, if Sasuke told me to follow Naruto's judgment I best play along.' "Um, so Naruto what do have for us in mind then?" Sakura said with a soft smile at the blonde.

Naruto looked over at Hinata who held a worm she found, he gave her a smile, "Good job, now it is time to teach you how to get a fish to bite the bait," he put a thumb out for her, "first sit on the rock over there and I will bring my stick that I made to show you first." Hinata happily ran back to the water, "first off let's not tell her. She looks happy I do not want to ruin that expression," the others' understood that "the second thing we need to inform Kakashi, so he can keep an eye on Eri and the people he interacts with," he looked over at Sakura, "Sakura I want you to find out information where her parents' house is at."

Sakura nodded, "But...there might not be anything left of that place?" Sasuke agreed with that. "Then we can hopefully dig up something. If there is no house, then who cares. There has got to be something useful among the gravel. So, Sakura-Chan do you think you can find out from the villagers?" she nodded, he looks over Sasuke, not used to giving him orders but this matter at hand was important and there was no time to waste, "Sasuke go through Kakashi's belongings and find our radios," he ran over to Hinata. Sasuke looked over at him, 'Why do we need those things?' he wondered but decided to not question it as Sakura and Sasuke disappeared from sight. This was their own mission set for them now and with Naruto, for the first time being the one they could hopefully count on. Deep down Sasuke was hoping his blonde comrade was wrong though if the theories are true on the other hand then there will be no mercy.

While Sakura was busy going around, gathering information and Sasuke getting the radios Naruto was with Hinata. Showing her how to put her now finished, handmade fishing pole in the water. Telling her to be patient and to wiggle the line just a tag so the fish would think it was still alive, "that is right you're doing a good job if you feel a tug let me know." Hinata nodded, blushing a little at the attention he was giving her. Naruto heard a hop near him, he turned around to see Sasuke standing nearby, he handed the blonde his own radio, "Did Kakashi notice?" Sasuke shook his head. Another hop was on the right side of him and Sakura was there as well, "any luck?" she nodded. He stood up, "really you found something?" his pink-haired teammate handed him a piece of paper. It had information on the location he was searching for." He looked over at Sakura, "thank you," she looked sadly down at Hinata.

Naruto looked over his female companion, "Hey Sasuke?" he looked over at him, "can you stay with Hinata while I talk to Sakura?"

Sasuke looked over at the girl, pouting not wanting to have to babysit, he sighed and gave in, "Make it quick though." Naruto owed Sasuke for that as he and Sakura scurried away.

Sasuke watched as Hinata was waiting for a capture. This was harder then it looked. She sighed in disappointment, "When is Naruto coming back?" she wondered.

Sasuke shrugged, "He is talking to our team member he will be back in a bit."

She felt a tug on the line, Sasuke looked over surprised, indeed she has caught something, "No way did I just catch a fish!" she beamed, "what should I do now?" the black-haired teen helped her or least he tried to though he is not as skilled with fishing as his blonde teammate was. Just as Sasuke almost lost the fish another grabbed it, he looked over at the hand, "You are late-dunderhead." Naruto grinned that he just made it in time, but the dark teen could see the sadness in those blue eyes. This made him wonder what Sakura and he were talking about. As Naruto told Hinata how to wheel the fish in he told Sasuke to follow him while Sakura would be taking a turn watching her.

Hinata was happy to catch her first fish, "Awesome you can have that for dinner tonight if you want? I can show you how to gut it correctly," she looked at him with disgust, "the first time I gutted one myself I looked the way you are looking right now but do not worry after a while of doing it, it will get better. Believe it!" she giggled, "hey do you mind staying with Sakura for a bit have to talk to my other teammate over there?" she looked over at the dark-haired boy she felt something was off with him like there was a dark secret he was hiding from the world. She nodded to Naruto, "good I will be right back ok?" he grinned at her. She watched has her hero and Sasuke scurried away.

Naruto stopped a block away so he could talk to his second team member in private. Sasuke figured it was something that Sakura told the blonde about, "While Sakura was gathering information, he heard some disturbing news from one of the villagers," he started out. Sasuke told him to get on with it, "Hinata comes from a clan known as Yellow Saber clan. They were the strongest in their village. They used claws made by some form of jutsu it is hard to explain but it is clan that wore armor that looked like a tiger," he looked up at Sasuke, "how well do you know the history of the Uchiha clan?" this took his teammate by surprise not expecting a question like out of the blue. Then he remembered that this subject was a sore piece inside his heart, growing a little sad, gritting his teeth to not show his small emotion reaching the surface. Naruto sighed knowing he should have not asked but this was kind of important, "there is a reason why Sakura told me first and not you," he looked up at him, "seems like there is a connection between the Uchiha and her clan."


End file.
